A berm is a raised barrier separating two spaces. Berms are commonly used for containment. Berms are commonly used in situations where the ability to construct vertically has been constrained by the inability to expand laterally at a slope that allows the desired vertical height to be attained without failure. For example, berms are often used to expand the capacity of landfills that are nearing or have reached their capacity, but which do not have space to expand outward. In such situations, berms may be constructed around some or all of the landfill to increase the vertical capacity.
Berms often comprise a reinforced portion and backfill material. The reinforced portion comprises structural fill material with reinforcing members disposed (typically substantially horizontally) therein. Facing baskets are typically attached to the reinforcing members to provide the needed structural strength. These berms allow for the desired vertical height in a limited space. These berms are very expensive to construct, however, on a relative basis, as material with very tight specifications must be acquired and transported and the cost of the reinforcement itself can be prohibitive in many circumstances. Therefore, what is needed is a method to construct these berms that allows for economical construction and that utilizes material that can generate the revenue necessary to cover the bulk of the cost of the entire berm while being environmentally sound and regulatory agency acceptable.